Isaac Kalimi, «The View of Jerusalem in the Ethnographical Introduction of Chronicles (1 Chr 1–9)», Vol. 83 (2002) 556-562

All the appearances of Jerusalem in the ethnographical prologue of Chronicles are prior to David’s capture of it. Equally, the mentioning of the Jerusalem Temple is prior to its building by Solomon. These appearances are early allusions to the importance of the city and its functions in the narrative sections of the book. The Chronicler stresses that all the chosen dynasty’s kings were born in Jerusalem. The repetitive mentioning that the Temple was constructed in Jerusalem may be intended to point out the exclusive holiness of the Chronicler’s own Jerusalem. The list of Jerusalem’s residents relies on those in Nehemiah and on an additional one that has no parallel in other sources. This list is used as a climax of the entire section (1 Chr 1-9). According to the Chronicler all the Israelites settled in Jerusalem freely, and the city was used as a center for the entire nation during the whole kingdom era.

singers (1 Chr 9,3-34), and the Gibeonites who served in the Temple and dwelt in the city (ibid. 9,35-38)²³. In order to achieve the literary effect of climax the Chronicler placed the list of Jerusalem’s inhabitants between the list of Saul’s house and Saul’s collapse in the war with the Philistines²⁴. Subsequently, he created a literary proximity between the former (1 Chr 8,29-38) and the latter (1 Chr 10) by listing once again the genealogy of Saul’s house in 1 Chr 9,39-44 (Wiederaufnahme)²⁵.

IV. Conclusion

        The essay reviews the representation of Jerusalem in the introductory part of the Chronistic history (1 Chr 1–9). Jerusalem is mentioned here in the list of the descendants of David; in the list of the Levites and at the end of the part.

        All the presentations of the city in the genealogical prologue are prior to David’s conquest of Jerusalem (1 Chr 11,4-7 // 2 Sam 5,6-9)²⁶, likewise the mentioning of the Jerusalem Temple (1 Chr 5,36; 6,16-17) is prior to its construction by Solomon (2 Chr 2–7 // 1 Kgs 5,16–9,9). These appearances are early allusions to the importance of the city and its functions in the narrative parts of the book, that is, in the histories of David’s reign (1 Chr 10–29); of Solomon’s reign (2 Chr 1–9); and that of the Judean kings (2 Chr 10–36).

        The Chronicler emphasizes that Solomon and all the rulers of Judah, that is, all the chosen dynasty’s kings were born in Jerusalem. The repetitive information mentioning that the Temple was built in Jerusalem may be stressed to point out the unique holiness of the Chronicler’s own Jerusalem.

        The list of Jerusalem’s residents depends on those in Neh 11 and on an additional one that has no parallel in other known sources. This list is used as a climax of the whole section, 1 Chr 1–9. According to the Chronicler all the Israelites inhabited Jerusalem willingly, and the city was used as a center for the whole nation during the whole monarchic period.